


Results of Findings Concerning the Mental State of FAILSAFE

by FictionWriter913



Series: Writing Prompts [2]
Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: Loss, Psychology
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-02
Updated: 2020-07-02
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:15:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25099765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FictionWriter913/pseuds/FictionWriter913
Summary: A psychiatrist is sent to examine the mental fitness of Failsafe, the AI mind of a crashed generation ship.
Series: Writing Prompts [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1813273
Kudos: 6





	Results of Findings Concerning the Mental State of FAILSAFE

_“I renew my objection to this examination. This instrument is not capable of interrogating the mental capacity of a computer program. Failsafe is not a person.”_

\- Dr Asami Kyoto|Psychiatrist Examiner

**SUMMARY FINDINGS//Mental Status Exam  
****Subject** [REDACTED]|[REDACTED]  
**Classification** TWILIGHT _A non-redacted version of this document is available at SUNDOWN or above. (01)  
_**Date** 3267.99

OBSERVATIONS

 _Appearance_ Neat | Disheveled | Inappropriate | Bizarre | **Other**

 _Speech_ **Normal** | **Tangential** | Pressured | Impoverished | Other

 _Eye Contact_ Normal | Intense | Avoidant | **Other**

 _Motor Activity_ Normal | Restless | Tics | Slowed | **Other**

 _Affect_ Full | **Constricted** | Flat | **Labile** | Other

COMMENTS _Constricted and labile are both selected, pending diagnosis_.

MOOD

 **Euthymic** | Anxious | **Angry** | **Depressed** | Euphoric | **Irritable**

COMMENTS Presentation 1 (P-1) presented as euthymic, regardless of topic (see above), Presentation 2 (P-2) express a variety of moods, regardless of topic (see above). (Presentations explained below).

COGNITION

 _Orientation Impairment_ None | Place | Object | Person | **Time**

 _Memory Impairment_ None | Short-Term | **Long-Term** | Other

 _Attention_ **Normal** | Distracted | Other

COMMENTS Subj. insists that the date is 2nd July 27 2718. Subj. was resistant to attempts to challenge its belief and experienced no cognitive dissonance. (02)

PERCEPTION

 _Hallucinations_ None | Auditory | Visual | Other

 _Other_ None | Derealization | Depersonalization

COMMENTS Subj.’s “body” is mostly destroyed, which is a cause of psychic distress. Subj. expresses the sensation of being detached from its body. Given the circumstances, no finding of depersonalization is appropriate at this time. (03)

THOUGHTS

 _Suicidality_ **None** | Ideation | Plan | Intent | Self-Harm

 _Homicidality_ None | **Aggressive** | **Intent** | **Plan**

 _Delusions_ None | **Grandiose** | Paranoid | Religious | Other

COMMENTS Subj. is very determined to eliminate Vex, Fallen, and other non-human belligerents. Under current circumstances, this is appropriate. Subj. is also defensive of her new “captain”, [REDACTED]. It is possible that Subj. may initiate hostilities against humans to protect the same.

Further, Subj. believes that they are a “mind”, equivalent in sapience to Humans. (04)

BEHAVIOUR

 **Cooperative** | **Guarded** | Hyperactive | **Agitated** | Paranoid | Stereotyped | Aggressive | Bizarre | Withdrawn

COMMENTS P-1 displayed cooperative and guarded behaviour. P-2 presented guarded and agitated behaviour.

INSIGHT

Good | **Fair** | Poor

COMMENTS Subj. generally shows good awareness of self, minus issues noted above.

JUDGMENT

Good | **Fair** | Poor

COMMENTS Subj. competently assisted [REDACTED] during the [REDACTED]. Subj. has not behaved in a way alarming to those around it.

**SUMMARY**

Writer interviewed Subj. [REDACTED], an AI program attached to the remains of the [REDACTED] on [REDACTED]. [REDACTED] is approximately 700 years old, though it claims to be younger. (05) [REDACTED] was initialized along with the launch of its ship.

Failsafe is only able to present at her core, which fluctuates in the colour spectrum between yellow and red. P-1 is associated with yellow, P-2 with red.

Subj. presents with symptoms of Dissociative Identify Disorder. [REDACTED] presented as two distinct personalities. P-1 demonstrated as euthymic, was alert, A/O x3 (see above) and cooperative. P-1 presented a brief, simple summary of her existence, starting with its installation aboard [REDACTED]. [REDACTED] recounts its experiences during [REDACTED] and since. P-1 was unwilling/guarded when pressed about issues related to [REDACTED] and certain operations during [REDACTED]. I invite policymakers who read this summary to conclude if that withholding was appropriate. I make no judgment. (06)

P-2 presented as agitated and extremely guarded. Writer observed that P-2’s presentation was exclusively interjections, where P-2 would insert commentary on P-1’s, or my, statements. The purpose of P-2 appeared to be to express sentiments, or elicit responses, that P-1 was unable or unwilling to do. The presentation of P-2 in this way follows the classic pattern of DID expression where multiple personas will generate to provide psychic relief to the patient. Whereas P-1 presents in the way you would expect a typically [programmed AI] to do, P-2 appears to be the result of [its code] degrading, or an expression of additional [code] it has generated over the intervening centuries as a means of “coping” with its experiences. (07)

[REDACTED] stated that they had been online consistently since the [REDACTED]. It stated that the current date was 2nd July 2718. Writer attempted to challenge this assertion with summative histories as well as demonstrations of the current date (3267.99). These attempts were unsuccessful. P-1 replied with polite indifference, while P-2 was hostile in its denials. (08)

Except as described above, [REDACTED] presentation was similar between both personalities. [REDACTED] stated that it is a “mind”, not a mere [REDACTED]. It stated that it is “trapped” on [REDACTED] and stated several times that it was “cruel” and “a waste” to leave it in its shell. (09) [REDACTED] was oriented to person and place, though not time. Subj. denies suicidal intention and stated intense homicidal ideation towards Vex, Fallen, Cabal, &c. (10) Subj. showed good judgment but limited insight. Aside from above-stated concerns, Subj. did not exhibit psychiatric symptoms or distress.

FINAL RECOMMENDATION

Writer does not recommend that [REDACTED] provide tactical support in-the-field (11) Writer observes that Subj. displayed symptoms of a severe mental illness, and appears to have gaps in orientation and awareness that could either become worse or at least demonstrate an inability to remain oriented for tactical guidance.

I note here, however, that I am not an engineer. I do not believe that this is the most appropriate instrument for determining suitability. I renew my objection to this project. I cannot appropriately apply a diagnosis to these findings. Psychiatry requires a psyche. (12)

**//END**

**//LOG|Excerpt**

**Consensus|Meeting**

**Classification | SUNDOWN**

**Date** 3268.01

_NM_ Well, obviously this “expert” is an idiot. Failsafe is a gem of the Golden Age; we should be celebrating her! We should beg her indulgence and hope for her wisdom. (13)

 _C6_ Eh, you weren’t there. Failsafe is fine, but her evil twin is alarming. Fun company, though. Someone tell Eva to invite her to The Dawning. (14) (15)

 _FWC_ Its potential usefulness as a source of information should not be overlooked. Even damaged, the AI must contain a great deal of Golden Age data. We should not let this opportunity pass us by.

 _DO_ She was on AI onboard a generation-ship. If she was heading to another planet, they must have expected it to be habitable. She will have charts, astrogation data, possibly astrophysics knowledge that we would otherwise not be able to replicate!

 _IR_ I think we’re focusing on the wrong things. Our examiner refused to admit that Failsafe could be a sapient being, yet described her in those terms, if unconsciously. Why does an AI need a psychological defence? (16)

 _Z_ I am concerned about the contents of this report. Whether or not Failsafe is a person, it is clearly unstable. Only reports from Cayde and The Guardian have led me to consider allowing this AI to operate as tactical support. (17)

 _C6_ She’s damaged. She was made to keep her crew alive, and couldn’t. She spent centuries by herself. She’s a little off, because of it. With what we’ve all lost? How can we judge? (18)

 _IR_ The Guardian and his Ghost were insistent. Either we incorporate Failsafe into our operations or expect him to ignore our orders on Nessus.

 _C6_ I agree with Strong & Silent. She lost people. She’ll do anything she can to keep that from happening again. I would have died my last death if not for her. She’ll do us right. (19)

 _NM_ You can’t use Failsafe for _tactical_ work. She should be brought here, comforted, supported, and learned from.

 _Z_ I don’t want to risk integrating her with our systems. That said, Cayde is right. She has shown her willingness to defeat the enemies of humanity. She can serve on Nessus, for now.

 _NM_ No! I refuse. We do not have consensus! (20)

 _IR_ We do not require it. Guardian operations are under Vanguard jurisdiction. This meeting is a courtesy. Do not mistake kindness, for weakness, Hideo.

**//END**

_“You are only half-right, doctor. I agree that Failsafe isn’t human, but she is most definitely a person.”  
_\- Ikora Rey|Vanguard Commander (21) (22)

**Author's Note:**

> **//ERROR|Access Unauthorized  
>  //Attempting to purge...  
> //Access Granted|Failsafe**
> 
> (01) Boop! Except for me!  
> (02) I’m sorry. I can’t help it that you’re wrong!  
> (03) Ugh… yeah. How would you like Fallen ripping you open?  
> (04) You guys let Cayde mess around. I’m a lot smarter than him.  
> (05) Incorrect. I am younger. Humans have forgotten how time works!  
> (06) So, you’re non-judgmentally mean?  
> (07) Lady, I’m not an AI.  
> (08) Indeed! Perhaps if the doctor had not been hostile in her questions, that could have been avoided!  
> (09) Well, how would you like to live a barrel?  
> (10) I could, like, totally manage a warship.  
> (11) I will help the captain destroy the ones that killed my crew!  
> (12) Yay. We finally agree.  
> (13) I like this one!  
> (14) Surprising! The Cayde unit has been added to my crew manifest.  
> (15) I guess I’m glad he didn’t, like, die in a fire.  
> (16) Well, everyone I knew and loved died.  
> (17) Score one for the captain!  
> (18) The Cayde unit has been promoted!  
> (19) Co-captain!  
> (20) Boo!  
> (21) Thank you.  
> (22) Thank you.


End file.
